CHAPTER IV.

SAUK COUNTY'S WAR RECORD.

THE FIRST NOTE OF ALARM-RALLYING OF PATRIOTS-WHERE THEY FOUGHT AND DIED-SAUK COUNTY'S CONTRIBUTIONS-THE DRAFT-THE ROLL OF HONOR-WHAT IT COST.

Treason, always despicable, even unto the eyes of traitors, never became more intensely odious than in 1861, when the climax of a conspiracy, long brewing, was reached, and the best government under the sun found itself face to face with an unholy and unrighteous civil war. The object of the South in attempting a separation of the Union was the erection of a great slave empire, encircling the Mexican Gulf; the duty of the North was clearly to prevent the success of a scheme so monstrous and inhuman. The first movements of the confederates were made under very favorable circumstances. They were in possession of many of the chief national offices, and they very largely controlled the army and the navy. Their military plan embraced three principal objects-the seizure of the forts and coast defenses, the capture of the national capital and the possession of the Mississippi River. The South was, nevertheless, thrown upon the defensive from the beginning of the struggle, and very soon effectually beleaguered. It was the unfaltering aim of the North to bring the war to a close, with as little bloodshed as possible, by the capture of Richmond, the rebel capital; but the first forward movement terminated almost disastrously at Bull Run on the 21st of July, 1861. This battle, however, was without military significance, since it did not secure the seizure of Washington by the rebels. It taught the North the real nature of the terrific struggle in which they were engaged. On the day after the battle, Congress voted $500,000,000 and called for 500,000 volunteers. From that moment, the rebellion was doomed. This act of President Lincoln and his patriotic Congress increased the nation's confidence in them to deal the righteous blow, and, at the same time, struck terror to the hearts of the secessionists.

The responses to the call were immediate and of the most encouraging character. Already a previous call for three months volunteers had been filled. No State in the Union was more prompt in sending forward volunteers than was Wisconsin, and no part of Wisconsin responded with greater vigor than did Sauk County. Twenty-six of her sons volunteered under the first call for 75,000 men, and joined the Madison Guards. The following from the Baraboo Republic of April 25, 1861, fairly illustrates the depth of interest in the preservation of the Union at that time:

"The events of the last few days in this village will never fade from the memories of those who witnessed or bore a part in them. Our commonly sedate population have been elevated to a most unbounded pitch of enthusiasm for their country, on the one hand, and of intense indig nation toward those, on the other, who have proved traitors to it. On Friday, Mr. Nash, of the Madison Guards, arrived here after having enlisted fourteen names in Sauk City and Prairie du Sac-C. E. G. Horn, Julius Schroeter, David Veidt, Robert Mettler, August Wandrey, Arthur Cruse, Samuel F. Clark, Anton Fischer, Ed Studelman, Ed Carl, William Bartholdt, Peter Jacob, John Jenewein and Richard Smith-twelve Germans and two Americans. Peter Jacob has served in the Crimean war. Forthwith recruits began to fall in, and the martial sound of drum and fife, unheard in our streets this many a day, inspired all hearts with patriotic enthusiAmong the Baraboo volunteers to the Madison Guards were two sons of a lady who depended upon them and one other for her support. She gave the other permission to go also when he should have replenished her wood pile! On Saturday, they were initiated into military drill by A. G. Malloy,* also a volunteer, who had served in the Mexican war and was an Orderly on Gen. Worth's staff. In the evening, a meeting was held to organize a home company to

asm.

*Now U. S. Revenue Collector at Jefferson, Texas.

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offer themselves to the Governor in the service of the Union. F. K. Jennings was called to the chair, and D. D. Doane appointed Secretary. Speeches full of feeling were made by D. K. Noyes and others, and a temporary organization effected by choosing A. G. Malloy Captain and D. K. Noyes First Lieutenant. On the Sabbath morning, the strange sound of the drum, beat by the expert hand of Rev. W. H. Thomson, to the tune of Yankee Doodle,' announced that the volunteers were about to leave. A very large concourse of citizens met in front of the court house to do honor to the noble hearts that so promptly responded to their country's call. Rev. C. E. Weirich, by invitation, acted as Chaplain, and delivered an address eminently appropriate to the occasion. A national hymn was then sung, and, after the benediction, the friends of those about to encounter the dangers and hardships of war were invited to bid them adieu. During the exercises many eyes were moist, but at this juncture every face was wet with tears. Men whom we had never suspected could be touched with tenderness, stood with flowing eyes, as sisters, mothers and wives came up to give the parting kiss. After taking their seats in the wagon, E. N. Marsh, in behalf of the volunteers, made a brief but touching address to those assembled. At half-past 9, with flying colors and to the sound of the drum and fife, under a banner inscribed on one side The Union Forever,' and on the other Baraboo Volunteers to the Madison Guards,' they drove out of town, followed by a procession of wagons and numerous friends on foot. Following is a list of the Baraboo volunteers: Lafayette Lock, Augustus D. Kimball, Charles W. Porter, Albert B. Porter, John J. Foster, F. D. Stone, Edward N. Marsh, Oscar Allen, Harvey Ames, R. S. Hill, A. Sutcliffe and David Dewell. These twelve volunteers were enrolled among the Madison Guards, and left Madison yesterday (April 24) for Milwaukee. They have unanimously resolved not to taste a drop of liquor until they get back to Baraboo."

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The particulars of the organization of the "home company" referred to in the foregoing, are given herewith, as they appeared in the local newspaper: "At the Methodist Church that morning, after the departure of the Guards, Mr. Weirich spoke upon the duty of maintaining the Government, and the impression made will never be effaced from the minds of those who On Monday, the recruiting continued, and at night, with no call but that of the drum, there was a spontaneous gathering of the ladies, as well as of the more war-like sex. The court house was fairly jammed, and the feeling was such that one might put out his hand and almost feel the electricity in the air. J. B. Avery was called to the chair, and E. Wyman chosen Secretary. Several items of news, just received, were read by T. Thomas, and the same gentleman proposed a fund for the support of the families left, offering to give $25 per month. The announcement was greeted with tremendous cheering. O. W. Fox responded with $5 per month, and Job Barstow, the same. The following committee of ladies was appointed to solicit subscriptions for the purpose: Mrs. R. Jones, Mrs. J. F. Flanders, Mrs. C. A. Sumner, Mrs. J. B. Avery and Mrs. B. F. Mills. N. W. Wheeler, C. C. Remington, Mr. Crawford, Sr., Timothy Kirk, W. H. Thompson, Mr. Blackett and others made eloquent and patriotic speeches. Maj. Rowley and other drummers from Narrows Prairie, had just come in time, and the thunder heard in that court room, to the tune of Yankee Doodle' was never heard there before. A. G. Malloy was then chosen Captain without opposition, and A. N. Kellogg came forward to say that the Republic office claimed the privilege of furnishing one volunteer-Joseph I. Weirich-and of equipping him with a Sharp's rifle. The meeting then adjourned.

"On Tuesday, the recruiting continued, and in the evening another meeting was held, with O. W. Fox, Chairman, and E. Wyman, Secretary. After various patriotic speeches, the following resolution, introduced by C. Armstrong, was adopted:

"WHEREAS, It is reported that some one or two citizens of this town are in the practiceof utteringsentiments of approval of the course pursued by the Southern States in making war upon our Government, and, while we tolerate full freedom of speech and of the press in time of peace, we cannot nor will not, now that civil war has been commenced, submit to hear piracy and murder approved, much less witness the United States Constitution violated and traduced by any resident of Sauk County, in their either directly or indirectly giving aid or comfort to the enemy. Therefore, "Resolved, that the presence of traitors is of itself sufficiently burdensome, and that, if they value the privilege of remaining among us, they must be quiet.

"For several seconds after its reading not a whisper was heard, then the whole audience at once sprang to their feet and sent up three of the lustiest cheers ever heard in Wisconsin.

"On Wednesday morning, Hon. Moses M. Strong being in town, the citizens called for him, when he appeared on the court house steps and made a Union speech, half protesting against the policy of the administration, but deeming it the duty of every good citizen to support the Government. After his speech, the recruits started for Reedsburg to enlist accessions to their ranks. Flags, meantime, have been put up in a dozen or more conspicuous places, and the enthusiasm for red, white and blue emblems is constantly increasing."

Arrived at Reedsburg, the Sauk County Riflemen (for such was the name by which these first recruits were known) stopped at the Alba House, where a grand reception awaited them. Speeches were made by prominent citizens, including William Miles, N. W. Wheeler, F. K. Jenkins and Rev. W. H. Thompson. Ten recruits were there enrolled, and "the boys" returned to their homes to await the call of the Governor, to whom their services had previously been offered.

From this date forward, a blaze of excitement pervaded Sauk County. Impromptu meetings were held in every village and settlement, at which recruits were raised and funds voted for the relief of those left in dependent condition by the enlistment of fathers, brothers and husbands. The ladies were notably active in forming societies with relief ends in view, and making bandages and picking lint to be used on the field of battle in case any of their dear ones were so unfortunate as to be wounded. In Baraboo, the school children, some 200 in number, paraded the streets beneath the folds of the American flag. C. A. Sumner & Co. displayed a large flag with eight black stars, representing the disloyal States, surmounted by twenty-six white stars. On the 4th of May, squads of volunteers from different parts of the county came into Baraboo, and a grand parade took place, winding up with a presentation of red, white and blue badges to the volunteers, Mrs. C. A. Sumner making the presentation address. The Sauk County Riflemen, while awaiting a call from the Governor, visited Reedsburg, where Capt. Malloy was presented with a handsome sword. In anticipation of this event, the Reedsburg boys went over to Ironton to borrow a cannon, but, being refused by the owner of the ordnance, it became necessary to take the weapon any way. The following Saturday a visit was made to Dellton, and later, to Sauk City, but this sort of jollification was cut short on the 28th of May, when an order was received from Adjt. Gen. Utley, commanding them to report for duty. Before departing for the front, the company (after being sworn in by Lieut. Col. Atwood, of the Sixth Regiment), was presented with a stand of colors by the ladies of Baraboo. The departure for Madison was taken June 25, the occasion being one long to be remembered, by citizens and soldiers alike. The volunteers marched slowly along the streets to the court house square, followed by the Hook and Ladder Company and Mr. Thomson's singing-class, consisting of thirty young girls, dressed in white, heads uncovered, and sheltered from the sun's rays by the stars and stripes. Reaching the position assigned them, they sang a touching national hymn, written by Emeline S. Smith:

On behalf of the Sauk County Bible Society, Rev. C. E. Weirich and S. P. Kezerta presented each member of the company with a neat pocket testament; and Sauk County's first complete company took its departure for the front. The company rendezvoused at Madison for a time, under rigorous discipline. Being assigned as Company A, the extreme right of the Sixth Wisconsin Infantry, they left for the scene of conflict July 28, 1861. With them went the heartfelt sympathies of the citizens of Sauk County for the integrity of the Government. It was the substantial result of their first patriotic efforts toward maintaining that Government. But they did not pause. Volunteers continued to go forward until the serpent-twined palmetto had ceased to wave, and the" peculiar institution"-slavery-was entombed, never again to exist in a free and enlightened country.

The following names appear upon the company's description book as those of the persons sworn into the United States service: A. G. Malloy, Captain; D. K. Noyes, First Lieutenant; T. C. Thomas, Second Lieutenant; Sergeants-J. A. Schlick, J. A. Coughran, J. C. Miller, Albert Fox and H. F. Pruyn; Corporals-H. A. Lee, J. F. McLoney, J. I. Weirich, H. J. Huntinton, A. F. F. Jensen, John Starks, C. H. Foote and George M. Jones; Musicians-T. J. Johnson and A. G. Johnson.

Privates-R. H. Avery, R. Atridge, E. D. Ames, J. Alexander, T. Anderson, W. P. Black, E. Birum, T. B. Butterfield, E. A. Broughton, J. Brecher, F. H. Bunker, F. M. Crandall, H. H. Childs, H. L. Childs, Philip Cheek, Jr., W. H. Copeland, W. H. Clay, A. Darrow, W. S. Durlyn, J. M. Foster, S. Fort, J. T. Flowers, C. W. Farrington, A. Fancher, D. C. Fenton, F. Fletcher, H. D. Fordyce, J. B. Fowler, L. D. Finton, I. Fort, A. Fowler, C. M. Fesendon, F. Gerlaugh, F. Graham, W. H. Groat, G. A. Harp, S. J. Hutchens, P. Hoefner, J. Hill, J. Hedges, D. Hedges, J. Hall, J. G. Hodgedon, I. Inman, R. Jones, B. H. Jones, T. Joy, H. D. Jones, T. A. Jones, J. J. Jenkins, T. L. Johnson, F. K. Jenkins, A. P. Johnson, J. O. Keyes, A. Klein, C. Kellogg, W. Klein, S. W. Keyes, C. Loit, J. C. Langhart, S. M. Long, W. L. Livesley, J. H. Moulon, H. C. Mattison, N. Moore, G. C. Miles, M. T. Moore, P. Nippert, D. Odell, M. Pointon, J. Pearson, W. Palmer, U. Palmer, W. Pearson, W. B. Ryder, E. H. Richmond, G. W. Russell, C. Reed, G. Rosser, G. Rice, I. Scott, W. W. Spear, W. Soare, E. F. Smalley, P. Stockhouse, W. B. Thomas, L. B. Van Luven, E. Wyman, C. J. Weidman, C. A. Winsor, H. Williams, P. Will, J. Whittey and H. H. Young.

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WHERE THEY FOUGHT AND DIED.

First Regiment. This was the first regiment organized in Wisconsin in compliance with the President's call for 75,000 three-months volunteers. In it was Sauk County's first contribution of men, who went forth to vindicate the right and punish treason. A list of those enlisting in the Madison Guard (which formed one of the companies in the First Regiment) from this county has already been given, but they were not all accepted. The description book of the company shows the names of those who were accepted, as follows: From Baraboo-Oscar Allen, H. B. Ames, L. F. Locke, A. D. Kimball, E. N. Marsh, A. B. Porter, C. W. Porter, D. W. Dewey, R. S. Hill, F. D. Stone, H. Sutcliffe, J. J. Foster. From Sauk City and Prairie du Sac-S. F. Clarke, E. Carl, J. Jenewine, P. Jacob, Anton Fischer, C. E. G. Horn, D. Viedt, H. Wandrey.

The three months having expired, they were mustered out August 21, 1861. Upon the re-organization of the regiment, quite a number of the Sauk County boys had joined other regiments, then forming, the history of which will be found in subsequent pages of this chapter.

The Iron Brigade.-Sauk County was well represented in the famous Iron Brigade, which was composed of the Second, Sixth and Seventh Wisconsin Infantry Regiments and the Nineteenth Indiana. The representation from this county in the Second and Seventh Regiments, though small, was in fair proportion with that of other counties of greater population; it was in the ranks of the Sixth Regiment, however, that the patriots of " Old Sauk were most numerous. It is due to the memory of those who fell at the Wilderness, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, and to those who lived through the greatest battles of the

rebellion, that at least a partial record of the attendant events of their services should be given in these pages. The Second Regiment was originally enrolled under the President's call for 75,000 three-months volunteers. Under orders to rendezvous at Camp Randall, the various companies were organized early in May, 1861. Meanwhile, the General Government had decided to accept no more troops for this short term of service, and, accordingly, on the 16th of May, the regiment was called upon to re-enlist "for three years or during the war." With the exception of one company, the entire regiment complied enthusiastically. On the 11th of June, the Second Regiment, thus organized, was mustered into the United States service, being the first Wisconsin organization so mustered. On the 20th of the same month, the regiment left for Washington, and was the first body of three-years men to appear at the capital. On the 2d of July, they were ordered to Fort Corcoran, on the Fairfax road, where they were brigaded with three New York regiments, under Col. (now Gen.) Sherman, and, on the 16th, when the movement on Manassas was made, were attached to Gen. Tyler's Division, by whom the enemy was engaged at Blackburn's Ford, on Bull Run. On the 21st, the Second Regiment was ordered to assault one of the enemy's batteries. They moved up, under a terrific enfilading fire of shell and canister from other batteries, formed in a line at the foot of a hill and charged up, driving back the rebel infantry, which had emerged from a cover in pursuit of a body of our troops just repulsed in a similar assault. Here they fought against enormous odds for over an hour, but, the enemy being re-enforced, were compelled to fall back, having suffered a loss of 30 killed, 105 wounded and 60 prisoners.

On the 23d, the regiment went into camp near Fort Corcoran, where they remained until August 27, when they were transferred from Col. Sherman's command to that of Brig. Gen. Rufus King. The subsequent history of the regiment was identified with that of the Iron Brigade until May, 1864, when they were engaged with the Army of the Potomac in the advance upon Richmond, under Gen. Meade.

The several companies composing the Sixth Regiment were ordered to rendezvous at Camp Randall about June 25, 1861. Under the direction of Col. Lysander Cutler, the regiment was mustered into service on the 16th of July, and on the 28th they left for Harrisburg, Penn., where they remained until the 3d of August, at which date they moved by rail to Baltimore, Md. Proceeding to Washington on the 7th, they encamped at Meridian Hill, joining at that place the command of Gen. Rufus King.

The Seventh Regiment rendezvoused at Camp Randall in August, 1861, and was organized under the direction of Col. Joseph Van Dor, being mustered into service September 16. They left the State for field service on the 21st, and reached Washington on the 1st of October, joining Gen. King's command at Camp Lyon.

It is here that the history of the Iron Brigade properly commences, though its organization took place in August previous, being composed of the Fifth and Sixth Wisconsin and the Nineteenth Indiana. The brigade marched on the 3d of September, occupying a position at the chain bridge, five miles from Meridian Hill. They crossed the Potomac on the 5th of September, and, after assisting in the construction of Fort Marcy, recrossed the river, and, October 5, went into winter quarters at Fort Tillinghast, on Arlington Heights, Va. Here they remained until March 10, 1862, when they took part in the advance upon Manassas. Nothing of startling importance occurred until the forenoon of the 28th of August. The brigade having been assigned a position in the advance line of the Army of Virginia, they proceeded slowly on the left of the army, via Gainesville, to Groveton, where they turned to the right on the Bethlehem Church road, and lay under arms until 5 in the afternoon, when they returned to the Warrenton pike, marching toward Centerville. While moving by the flank, the Second Regiment was attacked by a battery posted on a wooded eminence to the left. The regiment promptly advanced upon the battery, and soon encountered the enemy's infantry. While awaiting the arrival of the rest of the brigade, this regiment sustained and checked for nearly twenty minutes the onset of "Stonewall Jackson's entire division, under a murderous concentric fire of musketry. When the brigade arrived, the battle was continued until 9 in the evening, when